TXU Energy, one of the largest electricity retailers in Texas, moved quickly Tuesday to assure its 1.7 million customers that it is business as usual even as its parent company, Energy Future Holdings, announced a much-anticipated bankruptcy.

Still, some competing energy retailers apparently smell blood in the water as they plan to intensify marketing efforts and make special offers to lure customers away from the beleaguered company. They believe the stigma of bankruptcy will weigh heavily on EFH.

But TXU Energy said electricity service to customers will not be interrupted, the company is not going out of business and rates will not be increased because of the Chapter 11 filing on Tuesday. The Texas Public Utility Commission also said it would protect TXU customer contracts.

“The [bankruptcy] process should be seamless for our customers,” the company said in a written statement. “Chapter 11 is intended to permit a company to continue normal business operations while it reorganizes its balance sheet.”

But Mark Schiro, chief executive of Stream Energy, a midsize electricity provider based in Dallas, said that while the average TXU customer may not see any changes, a bankruptcy “is a hit on the TXU brand.” Stream serves about 350,000 customers in Texas, with probably half of them former TXU customers.

Those offerings include a “free energy program,” in which customers who refer five new customers to Stream Energy will get up to a 25 percent discount on their monthly energy bills for 12 months. Those who refer 10 customers save up to 50 percent, and those who refer 15 customers save 100 percent.

“We always have EFH in our mind when we do our marketing because it is one of the largest energy companies,” Schiro said. “The best way to grow is go after the company with the most customers.”

Another competitor, Direct Energy, unveiled a series of customer incentives on the same day the bankruptcy was announced. New or renewing customers who sign up for a 24-month energy plan will receive $400 gift cards, while those who sign up for a 12-month plan will receive $150 gift cards.

Direct Energy did not mention the EFH bankruptcy filing in announcing the new incentives, but it stressed its own solid financial outlook.

“Direct Energy is a growing, financially sound electric service provider in Texas,” the company said. “Direct Energy has the available resources to continuously develop and deliver products and services … tailored to the needs of Texas customers.”

Source Power, based in Sugar Land, said it would increase spending on marketing “significantly” in the second quarter over the first quarter. Initially, Source planned to give TXU customers $50 to $100 gift cards to switch, but it ultimately decided to cut rates instead.

The Texas retail electricity market is highly competitive, with more than 200 companies vying for 11.1 million customers. Energy analysts have said that customer defections from TXU would probably continue if the bankruptcy proceeding becomes lengthy. About 400,000 customers have left TXU since 2008.

TXU stressed that it is restructuring its finances, not its day-to-day operations. It said it will continue to add customers and bring new services to the market. The company has repeatedly said that it will be watching its competitors’ marketing campaigns closely and “vigorously defend” against any competitors who try to mislead customers.